Vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly

Abstract

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting arm and a mirror head at one end of the mounting arm distal from an attachment portion of the mounting arm that is configured for attachment at a vehicle. A mirror reflective element is fixedly attached at the mirror head. An innermost side of the mirror reflective element is attached at a front side of an attachment plate. The mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm when the driver of the vehicle operates an electrically-operable actuator. The attachment plate includes wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate and circumscribes and spans the perimeter circumferential edge of the glass substrate and does not encroach onto and does not overlap the front surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
 a mounting arm; 
 wherein a mirror head is at one end of said mounting arm, and wherein an attachment portion is at a distal other end of said mounting arm, said attachment portion of said mounting arm configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle equipped with said exterior rearview mirror assembly; 
 wherein, with said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle, said mirror head is movable relative to said mounting arm; 
 an exterior mirror reflective element fixedly attached at said mirror head; 
 wherein the exterior mirror reflective element comprises an outermost side and an innermost side, with the outermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element separated from the innermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element by a thickness dimension of the exterior mirror reflective element; 
 wherein the outermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element is closer to a driver of the equipped vehicle than the innermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element when said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle; 
 wherein the outermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle and is contactable when said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle; 
 wherein the exterior mirror reflective element comprises a glass substrate; 
 wherein the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element comprises a front surface and an opposing rear surface, and wherein the front surface is separated from the rear surface by a thickness dimension of the glass substrate forming a perimeter circumferential edge that circumscribes the glass substrate and that spans between the front and rear surfaces; 
 wherein the outermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element comprises the front surface of the glass substrate; 
 wherein said mirror head comprises an attachment plate having a front side and a rear side, with the front side of the attachment plate separated from the rear side of the attachment plate by a thickness dimension of the attachment plate; 
 wherein the innermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element is attached at the front side of the attachment plate, and wherein a heater pad is disposed between the innermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element and the front side of the attachment plate; 
 wherein, with said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle, the exterior mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of said mirror head relative to said mounting arm when the driver of the equipped vehicle operates an electrically-operable actuator disposed at said exterior rearview mirror assembly that moves said mirror head to adjust the rearward view provided by the exterior mirror reflective element to the driver viewing the exterior mirror reflective element; 
 wherein the attachment plate of said mirror head comprises wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate; 
 wherein, with the innermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element attached at the front side of the attachment plate, the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate circumscribes and spans the perimeter circumferential edge of the glass substrate; and 
 wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate does not encroach onto and does not overlap the front surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element. 
 
     
     
       2. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the innermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element is adhesively attached at the front side of the attachment plate. 
     
     
       3. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element comprises a mirror reflector-coated glass substrate. 
     
     
       4. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element and wherein, when said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached and operated at the equipped vehicle, signals to control dimming of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element are provided by an interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle that is mounted at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly comprises a mirror mount configured to attach said interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly at the in-cabin surface of the windshield, and wherein said interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly comprises a mirror casing having an interior electrochromic mirror reflective element disposed thereat and pivotally mounted at said mirror mount, and wherein a touch sensor device is disposed behind at least a portion of said interior electrochromic mirror reflective element and is operable to sense the presence of a person's finger at a touch zone of said interior electrochromic mirror reflective element proximate to said touch sensor device, and wherein a backlighting device is disposed behind said touch sensor device and is operable to backlight at least a portion of said touch sensor device, and wherein said touch sensor device comprises a generally light transmissive touch sensor substrate having a patterned electrically conductive trace established at said touch sensor substrate, and wherein said patterned electrically conductive trace is established at said touch sensor substrate in a pattern that allows light emanating from said backlighting device to pass through said touch sensor substrate, and wherein said patterned electrically conductive trace comprises multiple spaced apart light absorbing and electrically conductive traces, and wherein said patterned electrically conductive trace comprises a non-light-transmitting icon disposed generally at said touch sensor substrate, and wherein, when said backlighting device is activated, light emanating from said backlighting device passes through light transmitting gaps between said spaced apart electrically conductive traces at said touch sensor substrate and illuminates said icon so that said icon is viewable through said interior electrochromic mirror reflective element by the driver of the equipped vehicle when said interior electrochromic rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
       5. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element comprises a mirror reflector-coated glass substrate. 
     
     
       6. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element comprises a planar glass substrate, and wherein the front surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element comprises a front planar surface and the rear surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element comprises a rear planar surface separated from the front planar surface by a thickness dimension of the planar glass substrate. 
     
     
       7. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the planar glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element comprises a mirror reflector-coated planar glass substrate. 
     
     
       8. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a breakaway exterior rearview mirror assembly. 
     
     
       9. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a powerfold exterior rearview mirror assembly. 
     
     
       10. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is configured for mounting at a door of the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
       11. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element having a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate with an electrochromic medium disposed between the front and rear glass substrates and bounded by a perimeter seal, and wherein the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element comprises the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element. 
     
     
       12. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a breakaway exterior rearview mirror assembly. 
     
     
       13. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 12 , wherein said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a powerfold exterior rearview mirror assembly. 
     
     
       14. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 13 , wherein said mirror head houses a camera module, said camera module comprising a lens system and a CMOS photosensor array. 
     
     
       15. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element comprises a front curved surface and the rear surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element comprises a correspondingly-curved rear curved surface separated from the front curved surface by a thickness dimension of the glass substrate. 
     
     
       16. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a breakaway exterior rearview mirror assembly. 
     
     
       17. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 16 , wherein said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a powerfold exterior rearview mirror assembly. 
     
     
       18. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 17 , wherein said mirror head houses a camera module, said camera module comprising a lens system and a CMOS photosensor array. 
     
     
       19. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior mirror reflective element comprises an electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element having a front glass substrate and a rear glass substrate with an electrochromic medium disposed between the front and rear glass substrates and bounded by a perimeter seal, and wherein the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element comprises a front surface and a rear surface, and wherein the front surface of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element is separated from the rear surface of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element by a thickness dimension of the rear glass substrate forming a perimeter circumferential edge that circumscribes the rear glass substrate and that spans between the front and rear surfaces of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element, and wherein the front surface of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element is coated with a mirror reflector that is in electrical contact with the electrochromic medium disposed between the front and rear glass substrates of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element, and wherein the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element comprises the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element having its front surface being the outermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element exposed to and viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle and contactable when said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head circumscribes and spans the perimeter circumferential edge of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element, and wherein the rear surface of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element comprises a reflective perimeter band disposed around a perimeter edge region of the rear surface of the front glass substrate to conceal the perimeter seal from viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle when said exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at the equipped vehicle, and wherein no part of the rear glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element protrudes beyond any part of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element. 
     
     
       20. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head comprises a curved outermost surface that is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle and that is contactable when said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
       21. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate is molded from a polymeric material. 
     
     
       22. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the curved outermost surface of the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head comprises at least a portion having a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 mm. 
     
     
       23. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head abuts the perimeter circumferential edge that circumscribes the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element. 
     
     
       24. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head is adjacent the perimeter circumferential edge that circumscribes the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element. 
     
     
       25. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head lacks a sharp edge that is contactable when said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
       26. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the front surface of the front glass substrate of the electrochromic exterior mirror reflective element is generally flush with the curved outermost surface of the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head. 
     
     
       27. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate is molded from a polymeric material. 
     
     
       28. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the curved outermost surface of the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head curves to a less-curved portion of the wall structure of the attachment plate of said mirror head. 
     
     
       29. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element comprises a mirror reflector-coated glass substrate and wherein a metallic mirror reflective layer is coated onto at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) the front surface of the glass substrate and (ii) the rear surface of the glass substrate. 
     
     
       30. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 29 , wherein the metallic mirror reflective layer comprises chromium. 
     
     
       31. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate is molded from a polymeric material. 
     
     
       32. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 29 , wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate comprises a curved outermost surface that is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle and that is contactable when said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
       33. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate is molded from a polymeric material. 
     
     
       34. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the curved outermost surface of the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head comprises at least a portion having a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 mm. 
     
     
       35. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head lacks a sharp edge that is contactable when said attachment portion of said mounting arm of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
       36. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 35 , wherein the front surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element is generally flush with the curved outermost surface of the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head. 
     
     
       37. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the curved outermost surface of the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head curves to a less-curved portion of the wall structure of the attachment plate of said mirror head. 
     
     
       38. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 29 , wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head abuts the perimeter circumferential edge that circumscribes the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element. 
     
     
       39. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of  claim 29 , wherein the wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate of said mirror head is adjacent the front surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element.